Upper School, displaying student art for students, parents, and teachers. Hosted on the La Brisa Patio, the “Under the Stars” event featured every branch of Upper School art, from performing arts to ceramics. 

Mr. Matt Stock, Chair of the Visual Arts Department, said, “We are going all-out to highlight our incredibly talented visual and performing artists. There was no overall theme—every art discipline worked within their own theme for the exhibition.” 

The event was a success, with parents gravitating towards all the artworks and students taking pride in showcasing their pieces. Its success, however, came after months of preparation. Simone Carrasco ’27, who performed with the RE Jazz Combo, said, “I’m very excited for my work to be featured in this. We have been practicing six times a week for two months.” 

Amala Macias ’28, whose architecture project was featured, said, “This took me three months to complete, along with lots of trial and error—so I’m really proud of myself and my project.” 

The photography section stood out for its use of cyanotypes, a technique in which paper is coated with light-sensitive iron chemicals, objects are placed on top, and the paper is exposed to sunlight before being rinsed to reveal images in deep Prussian blue. “My artistic process while using cyanotypes was trying to get an image that would contrast well with blue and white, so I tried to get the best photo that would work in that color system,” said student photographer Daniel Depass-Jurberg ’28. 

The event also stood out for the sense of community it created, bringing together students across all grade levels and artistic disciplines who might not otherwise interact. Artists from different departments found themselves collaborating, with visual artists designing backdrops for performers and ceramicists arranging their pieces to complement photography displays. 

“It’s important to live with the art,” Visual arts teacher Mr. Jorge Guzman said. “Events like this draw attention to the beautiful art we have around us in the breezeway or in the foyer, so take this event as a reminder that you can immerse yourself within the beauty of this art not only when we host things like this, but also every day when we are at school.”